By Jackie Mundt, Pratt County farmer and rancher
A few weeks ago, I headed to the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson with a group of Collegiate Farm Bureau students. We took in the 4-H and FFA projects, watched livestock showmanship in the ring and, of course, made our way through the birthing barn.
The birthing barn is one of my favorite stops — not because there is anything particularly novel about a calf being born, but because I love watching the faces of people who aren’t involved in agriculture as they see those little hooves start to appear. There is something pretty special about watching someone experience a part of agriculture they have never seen before.
I also never skip the Pride of Kansas building. It’s a chance to see friends, check out how big the winning pumpkin was and, most importantly, see the butter sculpture, which is especially exciting to this Wisconsin girl.
This year’s sculpture featured bees. And when the sculpture needed an emergency repair, a crew from Hutchinson Community College came to the rescue. I also found time for a Pronto Pup and some cheese curds that, I’m happy to report, met my Wisconsin standards.
The fair was also the venue for a set of political debates for the upcoming gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races.
I was in Manhattan watching Kansas State get a win over Washington State — Go Cats! — so we listened to the debate on the drive home. And as I listened, I found myself thinking less about the political sparring and more about a phrase that came up multiple times.
“I know farming and agriculture. I grew up on a farm.”
Now, I’m not here to contest anyone’s agriculture credentials. And frankly, I love it when people have a personal connection to farming. Hearing so many candidates talk about their farm roots, made me ponder the value of those connections and what we really need from our elected representatives.
Because farmers are struggling.
We can’t control the weather. Believe me, if someone figures that one out, they’ll have the attention of every farmer in the country. However, there are plenty of things policymakers can influence — input costs, trade and market access, labor policy and the Farm Bill, just to name a few.
Those decisions matter when the cost of producing a crop or raising animals keeps climbing but the market prices remain low. They matter when a farm can’t find enough workers or when we are asking the next generation to decide if there is a future for them in agriculture.
Do I need my elected representative to have grown up on a farm? Not necessarily.
I need someone who understands why agriculture matters. Someone who understands that agriculture is more than an industry. It is part of our national security, our economy and our ability to prosper as a nation.
Most importantly, I need someone who is willing to do something about it.
It’s easy to say you’re a “friend of agriculture”. Growing up on a farm is a connection worth celebrating. But neither one, by itself, guarantees that someone will fight for policies that keep farms viable and allow them to be passed on to the next generation.
As voters, we should look beyond the farm story and listen for the action plan. Agriculture doesn’t just need friends at the fair. It needs representatives willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
“Insight” is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.
